La Goulue

The name means The Glutton. She was a dancer and prostitute and her performance was spectacular, vulgar, and provocative.

Danser and prostituteLa Goulue (“The Glutton”) (1866-1929) was a dancer and prostitute. She was a star of the Moulin de la Galette dance hall and was drafted for the Moulin Rouge upon its opening.

Overtly erotic body language, exaggerated squeals and high kicksLa Goulue’s performance was spectacular, vulgar, and provocative. It included the “chahut”, an extreme version of the cancan that incorporated overtly erotic body language, exaggerated squeals, high kicks that revealed intimate body parts, and often featured a split as a finale. She would often take to the stage with her dance partner Valentin le Désossé (“The Boneless”) and another pair of dancers to form the so-called ”quadrille naturaliste”.